Firenze (Florence) is a very beautiful city. The streets are very narrow and walking is really the only way to get around. Our hotel – the Hotel Pendini – is just off the Piazza della Republica. From there, it was a short walk over to the Piazza della Signoria to meet our guide for the day.
Our guide started by explaining the importance of the Medici family to the city of Firenze. The Medici became active in banking and commerce during the late 12th century. By the 14th century, they had become so powerful that they were able to lead a revolt that made them the virtual dictators of the region. The Medici family acted as patrons of the arts and the legacy today is a city that could best be considered to be one great museum. And not just art, but also shopping.
So, the question: how best to fit in both activities in our limited time here? The answer: a walking tour in the morning followed by ample free time for everyone to do as they pleased.
Our walking tour started in the Piazza della Signoria; the political focus of Firenze since the Middle Ages. The Palazzo Vecchio is still used as the town hall. At the south end of the piazza is the Loggia dei Lanzi (or Loggia dell Signoria) which was used for formal meetings. The area has been used as an open-air sculpture museum since the late 18th century, following the end of Medici rule. Our guide told us that – in the day – statues and works of art were used to convey political messages. Prominently displayed is Perseus by Cellini. The stature depicts Perseus triumphantly holding aloft the severed head of Medusa. The message to the populace was that this could happen to you if you get out of line. This was also the message implied by the statue Hercules and Cacus by Bandinelli – displayed immediately beside a copy of Michelangelo’s David.
Piazza della Signoria - copy of "David"
And that was in just one piazza!!!
From the Piazza della Signoria we walked towards the river beside the Galleria degli Uffizi. Unfortunately, we did not have a chance to go into the gallery; that would have required much more time than we have allocated for the entire trip. Instead, we had to content ourselves with seeing the statues in alcoves that line the walkway. There are monuments to the great Florentines – da Vinci, Galileo and others too numerous to list here. This was the heart of the Renaissance – and the main patrons of that movement were the Medici family.
Giorgi Vasari built the Galleria degli Uffizi between 1560 and 1574 under commission by Cosimo I de’ Medici. The building was originally intended to be government offices, but over time became a repository for the vast art collection being amassed by the Medici family. Inside the Galleria are such famous works as The Birth of Venus by Botichelli and the Adoration of the Magi by da Vinci. The last surviving member of the Medici family – Anna Maria Ladovica – bequeathed the entire collection to the citizens of Firenze on the condition that the works never leave the city. Acquisition of more art continues to this day. Understandably, this is not the type of place through which it’s possible to do a “flying visit”. For my part, I’ve put it on my list of things to do when I return to Italy with more available time … much more available time.
Our walk brought us to the Arno River and a view of the Ponte Vecchio. This bridge gives a taste of what life would have been like in medieval times; but only a taste. The bridge was built in 1345 and is lined with small shops and houses on both sides. The buildings are supported by brackets that overhang the river. There is a gap between the buildings in the centre of the bridge. The Medici replaced original hog-butchers with gold- and silver-smiths towards the end of the 16th century. The tenancy changes were partly intended to reduce the smell, but also to increase revenue from rentals. The gold and silver shops endure to this day. During the Allied advance north through Italy in World War II, all other bridges across the Arno in Firenze were bombed by retreating forces, but the Ponte Vecchio was spared under orders directly from Hitler. In 1966, the Arno flooded and rose above the level of the bridge deck. It is said that a fortune in gold and silver was washed away downstream. Perhaps the merchants are still trying to cover their losses because the prices are high – but then again, so is the quality.
Arno River with Ponte Vecchio in background
Along the top of the buildings on the eastern side of the bridge is a “secret” corridor that is part of a passageway joining the Galleria degli Uffzi and the Palazzo Pitti – the main seat of power of the Medici family. The passageway was built in 1565 for Cosimo I so that he could travel between palace, church and office without having to mingle with the citizenry.
After the Ponte Vecchio, we walked to the Doumo and Battistero at the Piazza San Giovanni. The Doumo is a huge church with room inside for 20,000 people. At one time, it was filled with works of art collected by the Medici family. These art pieces have now been moved to a separate – more modern – building: the Museo dell’ Opera del Duomo. Across a short gap from the front doors to the Duomo is the baptistery – the Battistero.
The Battistero is an octagonal building and is one of the oldest buildings in Firenze. It originally dates to sometime in the 6th or 7th century and was remodeled in the 11th century. The building is most famous for the doors – and in particular, the doors on the east dide, facing the Duomo. Lorenzo Ghiberti completed these doors in 1452. The doors are composed of 10 low-relief panels of biblical subjects. The doors are artistically important for their use of perspective – extending the scenes far off into the background. This was a totally new concept for the time and became typical of Renaissance art. Michelangelo named the doors the “Gates of Paradise”. The doors seen today on the Battistero are replicas, recreated using the latest in laser imaging technology. The original doors are on display in the Museo dell’ Opera del Duomo.
We went in to the Duomo to experience the space. As with most Gothic cathedrals, the vaulting space tends to draw the eye upwards. As with the other churches we visited, they are still sacred spaces and – with the approach of Palm Sunday – are in the throes of being prepared for the Easter season.
At one time, this church housed such works as an unfinished Pietà created by Michelangelo when he was 80 (and intended for his tomb), but as I said earlier, the art has all been relocated to the Museo dell’ Opera del Duomo, so the interior of the church is very austere. Above the entrance is a large one-handed clock with 24 hours marked in a circle. The clock is adjusted to show the start of the day at sunset, with the hours counting upwards from there.
The most striking feature is the dome itself. It was completed in 1436 and is built as a “double dome” (a dome within a dome) using a technique that relied on lighter bricks towards the top of the structure. It’s possible to climb the 463 steps to the base of the dome (no elevator).
Inside the Duomo
From the Duomo, it was a short walk to Santa Croce, the largest Franciscan church in Italy. The Franciscans were a poor order, and they built their church in Firenze amongst the poor of the city. To this day, the streets around the church are filled with wood and leather working shops; in the day, they were considered to be the “poor” trades. The church was damaged during the 1966 flood and the high-water marks are still visible on the interior walls. It was (and perhaps still is) considered to be the highest honour to be buried inside a church – and Santa Croce contains tombs and memorials to some of the greatest artists, scientists and thinkers of the ages. At the back of the church, on one side is the tomb of Michelangelo, directly across is a monument to Galileo. Danté – author of the Divine Comedies and considered to be the father of the modern Italian language – is buried here; as are Rossini and Machiavelli. More recent are memorials to Fermi and Marconi. It’s difficult to walk the room without stepping on the graves of many others.
Santa Croce - tomb of Michelangelo
This church is undergoing more than just preparatory work for Easter. There appeared to be restoration taking place in the area behind the main altar.
As we exited, we passed through a green space as we headed to the street, and on the left-hand side, a sculpture by Henry Moore. It did not look out of place.
Our walking tour ended and we returned to the Piazza della Republica.
So now, everyone was given free time until supper. What to do … the Galleria degli Uffizi? Climb the steps to the top of the Duomo? Perhaps head over to the Galleria dell’ Accademia to see the original of Michelangelo’s David? The choices were endless. I could have spent a week in Firenze and not seen a tenth of the things worth seeing. So, what did we do?
From the Piazza della Republica, we walked to the area near San Lorenzo. But our purpose was not to see this basilica – a basilica that was consecrated in 393 and is thought to be the oldest church in Firenze. No, we were not there to see the current building that was rebuilt in 1425; or to visit the tombs of some of the principal members of the Medici family who are buried within. We were there to shop! The narrow streets of the area are lined with stalls selling leather goods, stylish scarves, all sorts of things. Yes, the prices were high – if you kept multiplying everything by the 1.55 to 1.61 Canadian Dollar to Euro exchange rate, but the “good stuff” was of such good quality! Most of the things being offered for sale were “Made in Italy”; not much junk from China here.
Market in Firenze
There was a beautiful leather wardrobe-style suitcase for 140 Euros; Pashmina scarves for 10 Euros. Yes, there were stalls selling “kitsch” … and everyone should bring back a kitschy thing or two from their vacation. But a great deal of what was being sold was of very good quality. For my part, I bought a leather jacket for Mrs. P and a 3/4-length coat for myself.
And so … that was how I spent my free time in the heart of the Renaissance; poking from stall to stall looking at scarves, coats and “stuff”. During our wanders through the market area, we saw other groups of students doing pretty much the same thing. I think one reason that I don’t feel that I cheated myself was because, by this point in the trip, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. Flavio had said that there is only so much you can take in. By now, we had seen the beauty of Sorrento and Capri, the City of Pompei, the old and new of Rome, and had a glimpse of the beauty of the Renaissance. It was starting to be too much to process. From the outset, we knew that this was going to be an aggressive schedule; only now was I starting to realize how aggressive. Next time I visit this area, I could easily see spending at least three or four days just in Firenze.
Everyone did their own thing for the afternoon, and the group re-formed to go to supper. On the way back, we saw some of the more “informal” merchants of Firenze. These “merchants” appear to be from Africa and were selling handbags that appeared to be made by Prada, Chanel Yves St. Laurent and other high-end designers. The prices were just too good to be true and they were open to “negotiation”. Only, you had to work fast to close the deal, because as soon as the Police showed up, they scooped everything up in the tarps upon which the handbags had been displayed and began to move along.
It was really rather funny to see. These fellows from Africa would walk the streets of Firenze with large bundles strewn over their shoulders. Then, they would stop, and as a group passed by, try to lure them in with the goods displayed. And if the Police showed up, the whole “store” was scooped up and tossed back over the shoulder and was moved to another location. Flavio had warned us of the illegality of these transactions, but the Police only seemed to be around to keep the “market” from getting any kind of permanent foothold on the streets. It appeared to me to be one of those “illegal but tolerated” type of things that take place everywhere.
In the end, the lure of “designer” handbags at “deep discount” prices was too much and the haggling started. Merchants like this have a very informal, but apparently very effective communications network. The best description that I heard for what happened was “chumming the water”. Soon, there were handbags and money changing hands at a frightening pace. Other “merchants” showed up with other things to sell. I was offered a “Breitling” watch for 55 euros; too much. I don’t like “Breitling”? There are “Rolex” and “Patek Phillipe” for equally attractive prices.
The plan was to take those students who wanted to go out to another one of the “student discotheques” that are popular in Italy. But, even though the buying had ended, the “merchants” were still swarming on the streets outside the hotel – the students were unable to go outside without being swarmed. Eventually, I had to go outside and tell the “merchants” that the buying was over. I shook hands with most of them and they went off into the night to find other clients.
When I think back on that little portion of the entire series of events, I realize just how safe I always felt during the trip. Sure, we were warned over and over again of pickpockets and other thieves, but never once did I ever feel that my personal safety was in danger. When I stepped out of the front door of the hotel, there were six or seven of these guys all looking to keep doing business – and I was there to end the party. But, they were only trying to make a living the best way that they can; they understood that it had to come to an end sometime and a smile and handshakes work well in any language. We all shared a bit of a laugh about the whole thing and parted on friendly terms.
I’ve taken to referring to this little event as the “handbag feeding frenzy”.
After clearing out the front of the hotel, we re-formed the smaller group and the students (along with chaperones) went to the discotheque. There was a great deal of excitement amongst the students – referring to the other students in the disco, our students kept saying “they speak English”. Of course they do, the other students at the disco were all from other schools in Ontario!
At the disco
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